When I Can't Be There
by Koakuma Tsuri
Summary: 32/100: Flowers. It was what Sephiroth had always dreamed of, but this time he wouldn't even be there. Sephiroth/Genesis Mpreg. Yaoi-fluff. Continuation of "Something New". Giftfic for Sphinxofthenile.


32/100: Flowers. Sephiroth/Genesis Mpreg.  
Happy Birthday to the lovely Sphinxofthenile :3 And um.. this is a continuation of the other Mpreg I did for Sphinx... SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT GO READ IT NOW!!  
Thanks to: Sphinx for asking for this, Misu for being awesome and inspiring me and Kysis for beta reading :3

A/N: Ya'know, after writing a hard-core smutty Genesis/Kadaj story… this… just seems a little… odd?

Sephiroth, Genesis, Angeal, Zack, Kadaj and all mentioned characters belong to Square Enix. The whole Sephiroth plus Genesis equals Kadaj idea is mine and Sphinx's... and I swear it's canon anyway.

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**Flowers**

When I Can't Be There 

"_If things don't go perfectly the first time, they will the second. And even if they don't, then you'll be prepared for what ever could go wrong_,"

Sephiroth was once a devotee of this philosophy, although when he was involved, _everything_ ran like a dream on the first attempt. There was only one thing he ever wanted to replay, not because the first time was a failure, far from it – he loved his son unconditionally, but there was something about the feeling of knowing that the love that he and Genesis shared had taken form and was growing inside the older man that Sephiroth just cherished.

It had taken a good few weeks… months… _years_ to finally coerce Genesis into saying "Yes" one night, albeit under duress.  
The second time, this time, couldn't have gone any worse – well it could have, but he didn't want to think about that - because Sephiroth wouldn't even be there.

Just two weeks before the 3 SOLDIER 1st Class were due in Wutai for the breakout of another war, Genesis finally twigged that he was pregnant. Again.

This time, it didn't even take some timid little nurse to tell him, but it had taken him a little while. Although all the basic symptoms were there, the drowsiness and dizziness, he had originally put it down to increased levels of mako in his preparation treatment, until Sephiroth had snuck up on him one evening whilst he was training and 'lovingly' (Sephiroth said in his defence) pinched at his chest, which resulted in the VR room desperately needing to be repaired.

Needless to say, within those two weeks before posting, Genesis' entire mission – before it had even started – had been called off. Then Sephiroth went into hyperactive panic mode because everything had to be safe in the apartment and around the building because he was going to be away at war and blah, **blah**, **BLAH**. Genesis had to block out every word that man was saying at one stage.

However, Angeal, Goddess bless that man, did nothing of the sort (although Genesis knew he was just as anxious as Sephiroth was) and continued to sneak into the SOLDIER's shared quarters in the morning and steal Kadaj away for a day of fun and games, leaving his parents to get on with their work and preparations… leaving Sephiroth to run around the building like a headless chocobo doing everything – literally _everything_ - he could do to get his shipping delayed whilst Genesis was forced to fester in complete and utter boredom, in other words.

Kadaj knew all too well of the circumstances, as he was rather intelligent for his seven years, and even though he was already a quiet child, he hardly – if ever – did anything to cause any strife at this chaotic point in time.

Before, he had been somewhat upset (he had only confided and cried about it to Angeal) that both his parents and the black haired SOLDIER would be leaving for months upon end, all at the same time. And he'd be stuck here in the care of Lazard (who didn't even have to try to be instantly liked, but his overly-friendly mood did unsettle Kadaj somewhat) and Hollander (who was just terrifying to everything with a pulse) as well as Hojo, who had taken a surprising interest in the boy's upbringing for whatever reason, although both Sephiroth and Genesis would never let the scientist anywhere near their son.  
Now, Kadaj was just glad that his mother would be staying and in eight month's time, he'd have a little sibling to help take care of.

Angeal often wondered how such an adorable child could have possibly come from the equation of General Ice Queen and Commander Burn Stabby Stab, as the Cadets he taught called them. It was almost like Kadaj wasn't their son at all… but Angeal had been present at the birth and hell, even a passing glance of Kadaj could blow "he isn't Sephiroth's son" straight out of the water.

Over those two weeks, a plan was forming in Angeal's head. There was just no way in hell the SOLDIERs would leave Genesis here on his own because no matter how much the surprisingly loving mother he was, the redhead lived to fight and kill…and fight and burn and stab and kill (…How did the Cadets know him so well?!) and it would've only been a week before Commander Rhapsodos unofficially joined the fray in Wutai. That wasn't even something Angeal wished upon the enemy: Genesis, irritated and pregnant, with Rapier in one hand and magic in the other. However, it did seem to be something that would end this pointless war almost immediately.

On the 12th day, the plan that had taken seed and sprouted was checked by Sephiroth and received one very relieved and enthusiastic thumbs up.

On the 13th day, everything was set in stone.

On the very morning of the SOLDIER's departure (unfortunately for Sephiroth, even manning the reception desk did not warrant any postponement), Angeal and his most promising student stood outside the pearl white door of Sephiroth's apartment.

"Now, do this well and we'll have you immediately promoted to 3rd Class the second we get back. Do this badly and just hope that he was in a good mood before you screwed up," Angeal turned to his black haired teenage companion like he was giving another mission briefing before turning on the VR.

"Who's 'he'?" Zack questioned just as Angeal unlocked the door and pushed it open.

The teenager had expected to see Sephiroth up and ready to go, impeccably half-dressed as always, with a heavy-looking bag slung awkwardly over one shoulder, the strap caught between the plates of his pauldrons. What he hadn't expected, however, was to see Commander Burn Stabby Stab lazing around on the sofa, glaring at the TV screen between jealous glances at his lover, with his left hand passing every-so-often from a large blue plastic bowl of cheese puffs on the floor below where he lay to his mouth and back again.

No way was this the same man who had once chased a 2nd Class all round the building with this crimson sword flaring all because said 2nd Class had made a derogatory comment about LOVELESS and its followers when Genesis was in earshot.

As far as the Cadets and younger (and probably older) SOLDIERs knew, Genesis was born, fought and slept in his SOLDIER uniform (…or was that Angeal?), especially that infamous long scarlet jacket that Zack was certain was to Genesis what feathers were to chocobos, but here the redhead was, lounging in a long, printed t-shirt, that looked very similar to Hollander's only this was a deep, dusty pink (on Genesis?!) and baggy trousers, much like those Zack and Angeal were wearing. And he was wearing black fluffy slippers, nonetheless. This was just an evil dream, surely?

"You're going to take care of Genesis whilst we're away," the black haired 1st Class smiled, breaking Zack out of his musings as he gestured down to Genesis.

Up until that moment in time, Genesis had not been informed of the arrangement and looked up from the TV in utter disgust. He didn't even bother to look at his assigned attendant.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Zack was quick enough to speak before the redhead. "Why does Commander Bur- Rhapsodos need 'taking care of'?" There was an element of fear plain in his voice. He had heard stories about all the nasty things Genesis did to Cadets when he was in a mood other than "OHEMGEELOVELESS!!!", "happy" and "shagged-out".

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid, Sephiroth," Genesis spat, practically answering the Cadet's question without addressing him, turning back to his cheesy puffs and ShinRa censored TV.

"Is there much of a difference?" The younger SOLDIER asked with a cheeky grin, tugging at the strap of his rucksack until it fell to the floor with a thud.

"Obviously not to you," the tone of Genesis' voice, Angeal knew, was one he only used when he was about to go off at someone. Thankfully though, Kadaj wandered into the main room from the hallway and curled up on the sofa next to his mother, and that instantly calmed the redhead's nerves. The last thing he wanted was to show his son his darker side without necessity.

Zack's eyes immediately widened at the sight of the smaller version of Sephiroth. He'd only heard rumours of the child, never actually seeing him because, second to the President's own son, this one boy was the most protected child in Midgar.

"Kadaj?" Angeal said quietly, gaining the attention of the timid boy. "This is Cadet Zack Fair, he's going to be looking after you and your mother," The SOLDIER pushed Zack closer to the sofa. "Zack this is Kadaj and Genesis,"

"Hi," Zack smiled, warmly and brightly as was only in his nature.

Luckily, just like he had with Lazard, Kadaj took an instantly liking to the teenager.

Genesis on the other hand just glanced in contempt at everything, insisting that he didn't need help; he was perfectly fine to take care of both himself and Kadaj.

Nonetheless, the redhead knew all too well that Sephiroth was listening to not a single word he was saying, even as he leant over the back of the leather sofa to capture his lover's lips with a sad smile.

"I'll-be back-as soon-as-possible," the General whispered, intervals of possibly the longest and most emotionally fuelled kiss in history, one hand on Genesis' cheek, the other protectively over the abdomen in which his second child was growing.

As soon as he said what was needed, Sephiroth pulled up again, making to leave when Genesis grabbed him and tried to bring him back down again for a new round of kisses with a pathetic whimper of "No,"

"Kitten, I have to go,"

It almost broke Zack's heart to watch (even though he was still somewhat stunned to find that there was a tender, loving side to Genesis' character, as well as the General) as Sephiroth had to pry the redhead's fingers off his forearm and pecked him one final time on the lips before turning and kissing his son goodbye, picking up his bag and leaving.

But it was the look in Genesis' eyes as they followed his lover's movements that haunted Zack the most. He just looked so… betrayed.

-

Zack was driving Genesis insane. It was the only word for it. He fussed too much about everything. The wrong things. He treated Genesis like he was disabled and bedridden, unable to get up and get his and Kadaj's own breakfast… It was a miracle he deemed the SOLDIER well enough to wash and dress himself.

Nonetheless, Genesis didn't make the job any harder for the Cadet, like he would have if he were Sephiroth, because Kadaj was just so taken with the teenager, almost as much as he was with Angeal himself. It was easy to see why: Zack was more or less the exact same as Angeal when he was younger.

One time, when Genesis' head was spinning uncomfortably after Zack fed him _that_ (even thinking about it made him sick), he was hit with the revelation that he could just 'conveniently' disappear and go stay with Weiss and Nero and the others in DEEPGROUND who adored him, for a while. Surely they knew how to treat a pregnant man… being a private medical establishment and all. Yes, that idea was perfect, pure genius if Genesis said so himself (which he did). However, putting it into practise was just… a little bit impossible.

The door to the apartment had been locked from the outside, with a little note taped to it – at eye height so he didn't have to stretch or bend down, bless Zack, he knew just how much his back ached, saying in a very messy scribble "_Seph warned me you'd try something funny,_"

Sighing, the SOLDIER slumped back onto the sofa, holding a cushion over his stomach. He could have expected Sephiroth would have done something like that…

"_I'm saving you from yourself_," he could just hear the General saying… honestly, Genesis was capable of 'saving himself' as he had for the last seven years… until Sephiroth decided to play around whilst the redhead was drugged up on mako and unable to say anything that didn't sound like a mewl of willingness.

Sephiroth was lucky to still be alive, and maintain a full set of male implements, after Genesis found out about the incoming bundle of joy…

-

Genesis was driving Zack insane. It was the only word for it. He complained too much about everything. All the time. Nothing Zack seemed to do was right or good enough. Every night and every morning, the Cadet studied the notes Sephiroth had left and followed every single one to the T. Locking the door every time he left, even for a minute; making sure that Genesis wasn't over exerting himself and he was perfectly content (although with Genesis, what was his happy? So far, the redhead only seemed happy when killing…). One thing that was labelled under "content" was that Genesis' cravings were sated.

Oh yes, Zack knew all too well of the redhead's obsession with Banora Whites, as Sephiroth had filled every available cupboard until the kitchen was bursting with the blue fruit… only to find that the very thing that Genesis once needed now made his stomach take a turn for the worse. The smell, the sight, even the name set the man off.

Instead, the redhead decided he was going to develop a penchant for Wutaian chilli flakes and yoghurt. Combined. But it could not just any yoghurt. No, it had to be the abomination that can loosely be named yoghurt because it definitely was, completely undeniably, alive from the cafeteria.

Sephiroth was surprised to hear that one, but he made sure to send plenty of chilli back from his location.

At noon on the fifteenth day of Sephiroth and Angeal's posting, Zack returned to the apartment to make lunch for the pair, only to find a large oblong box blocking his way inside. Picking it up curiously, Zack continued on, slipping the key that Angeal had bestowed onto him into the lock and entering.

Mother and son were lounging around – still in their pyjamas – on the sofa, watching something on the TV that was surely too violent for a seven year old, but Zack said nothing. It was most likely that this was Genesis' vice to work off his frustration from lack of massacre on the battlefield at his hand.

Upon closer inspection, the black haired Cadet found that both the males were fast asleep and suddenly the scene was far more adorable than previously, even with blood and gore being splattered everywhere on the TV screen.

After switching off the TV and continuing on into the small kitchenette, Zack laid the box down on the counter before opening it, wearily, of course. Instead of what he was semi-expecting to see, some horribly tacky baby-clothes and presents from Genesis' parents (Oh, Zack had seen what was once Kadaj's), his violet eyes met with a huge array of different colours and shapes on a back drop of green.

"Well, you don't see these every day," he muttered quietly, picking the heavy bouquet out of the box, and laying them down on the counter.

The cooking could wait, these, he knew, had to be a surprise for Genesis.

He didn't even have to guess who they were from… Who else would know exactly what the SOLDIER would love? There were copious amounts of red and white roses (he'd had thought that was too cliché for Genesis, but the poetic value was probably enough to outweigh this fact), white chrysanthemums with the odd pink carnation here and there to balance it all out.

He smiled, turning around to rummage about in the cupboards, sure that he'd seen a vase somewhere in the kitchen when he was exorcising the room its stock of apples. It was simple and metal, as was everything in this apartment (save the bedrooms), and would suit the arrangement well. It would've been perfect he knew how to arrange flowers… but he really didn't.

Genesis was unsure what woke him first: the smell or the sound of bacon cooking or Kadaj wriggling around like a fish on a hook trying to free himself from the tangle of pillows, blankets and limbs to check that the Cadet was actually cooking something that Genesis could eat. Either way, the redhead swung his legs down to the floor, much to protesting of his back and stood. As he turned, his azure eyes caught on the array of reds of the flowers that Zack had tried his best to at least make slightly presentable. The effort was enough for Genesis. He leant his chest against the kitchen counter, admiring the soft petals in a way that he hadn't had a chance to since he last left Banora a few months ago. Flowers really were a rarity in Midgar and he wondered how much Sephiroth has spent on this little gesture.

Reaching out, Genesis took the small white card that was propped against the metal vase that and slipped it out of its plastic jacket.

The carefully written words inside brought a new smile to his lips, just words of love, how much his lover missed him; couldn't wait to see him again and all the other soppy, sentimental comments that made Genesis' insides cringe. The note fell from between his fingers, sliding across the smooth black surface of the counter a few inches before Kadaj's pale fingers snapped it up. There was a little message for him there as well, though not what he really wanted - which was an anecdote from his father, telling all about his successes in a strange far off country.

"I'm pretty sure if Sephiroth knew you were feeding me fried food, he would not be pleased," Genesis muttered, eyeing up the sizzling meat. Fried or no, it still looked good… especially with a nice slice of toast, oh, with-

"This is for Kadaj, I've already made yours," Zack gestured to a bowl to the side of the cooker. He turned back to his meat so it was Kadaj who picked the bowl up, fetched a fork and handed it to his mother.

What was inside was far less than appetising.

"Salad? You give me salad? I have a child growing inside me and you give me something as useless and limp as salad? Salad does not make for SOLDIERs, Fair. Give me steak… seriously; do you think Angeal got a physique like his by being force-fed lettuce whilst in the womb? No. He didn't."

Sighing, Zack rested the spatula besides the cooker and reached into the fridge, then turned and slopped a hefty slice of ham over the top of the green arrangement.

The redhead was probably bitter because he had been force-fed lettuce whilst still in the womb. Seriously, without all his armour, he looked so damn skinny… and the baby bump was sure to highlight this fact all the more. Zack smirked.

Ham or no, Genesis looked far less than happy. "You better be making a good dinner tonight," he mumbled under his breath as he made his way back to the sofa to eat.

As he chewed away, he doubted whether or not these were simply the cuttings left over from the flowers when Zack had organised them. And even if they weren't, it didn't make it taste any more appealing. He was a SOLDIER, a killing machine, a carnivore… oh Weiss and Nero were so going to find themselves up here cooking real food for him soon, not that they could actually cook, but they cared about his well-being enough to try. They were his family after all.

-

Every new month brought another bunch of flowers from Sephiroth. The General asked many questions and even though Genesis had written letters back, by the third bouquet, he surmised that his replies just weren't getting through to the SOLDIER. And that saddened him.

He had so much to tell, like how his brothers had tried to lynch Zack as soon as they walked into the apartment to find Genesis practically dead from boredom, slumped over his bed. He wanted to recite what happened next, when his brothers had stolen him and Kadaj away whilst Zack was in classes for a few hours of long over-due training. They went easy on each other, of course, Genesis would have to add, but surely exercise was better than letting all his musculature go to waste in the months he'd have to spend as a potato if Zack had anything to say about it.

Genesis wanted to write about the long, cold and lonely nights he faced every time he closed his eyes; how Kadaj often snuck in to settle under the sheets beside him because he missed his father's stories that always sent him off to sleep (after Angeal had begged Genesis to spare the poor child from LOVELESS every single evening until he was old enough to move out).

So badly did he want to put pen to paper and say how much he missed him, missed his voice whispering in his ear "Good morning, Kitten," and how those warm hands felt on his hips as he pressed gentle, feverish kisses all over his abdomen, almost making up for the fact he wouldn't be there to do it every morning.

It was at that point the ink started to run and Genesis noticed just how much he really did miss Sephiroth… So much so he had to call for a box of tissues before starting a new letter, regardless of whether or not it actually ever reached his lover, it was the effort that counted after all.

-

By eight months, Genesis had everything sorted. The old wooden cot that had once been his own, as well as Weiss', then later Nero's and most recently Kadaj's, was set up at the foot of the main bed. All it needed clean sheets and Genesis' would've been ready to give birth tomorrow… apart from he wouldn't be ready emotionally whilst Sephiroth and Angeal were still away.

The last news he had from either of them was that they had just claimed another fort as well as a pretty strategically handy bridge. It wouldn't be long now, they told him. Not long at all. The silver haired General also noted that he was applying for an early leave, just so he could be there at the birth, since last time he had been evicted from the birthing room at the redhead's orders… but so far he had gotten no confirmative wording from his superiors.

Day after day followed without further news on the matter and Genesis was growing impatient. It got to the point that he was going to go and personally rattle the President's cage until he complied, but of course, it was just one more thing that Zack had crossed off his list before he could even try to put it into action.

The redhead glanced down at the small, dark stained bed, running the tips of his naked fingers along the slightly mangled wooden bars that he had chewed and chewed away at when he was a baby. He could remember peering through the bars when he was five, to see his first brother, then again, five years later to see his final sibling… and only seven years ago was he leaning over these railings, admiring the infuriatingly Sephiroth-like cuteness of his own first (and at that time what he wanted to be only) child.

Kadaj never actually did spend very much time in that cot; instead he was constantly being paraded around by the silver haired General; always held tightly in his arms. Sephiroth had admitted he never, even for one split second, ever wanted his son to feel abandoned, lonely and unloved as he had as a child. Sephiroth would give everything that he never had to Kadaj.

A loving family was just the start. It was something that both Sephiroth and Genesis never had. The redhead's parents may have looked like models to the outside world, but behind closed doors, they did what they did because they felt it was their duty, not because they wanted to… he often wondered why they burdened themselves so much as to have three sons, when it was quite evident that they didn't even want one.

Sighing, Genesis reaffirmed his promise to himself that he would never, ever turn out like that. He and Sephiroth could – and would – make this entire affair work out, to raise their children to be normal, regardless of what other people may have thought… all he needed right now was the General's arms wrapped tightly around him, chin resting on his shoulder with a smile, telling him everything was alright. And it always would be.

His right hand found its way down to the large bump in his belly, just in time to feel a slight motion. A small, simple, getting close to every day occurrence was priceless, and just what Sephiroth would've loved.

There was a quiet knock on the bedroom door, barely audible to anyone without mako-enhanced senses, let alone a highly-emotional-at-the-moment mass of over-active hormones.

Without a welcome, it silently cracked open, and two vividly green eyes stared up at him in the darkness.

"Mother?" Kadaj whispered, partly because he didn't want to wake Zack who was tossing and turning on the sofa only a few metres away, mostly because he knew loudness wasn't welcome in this moment. "I heard you crying," He continued.

Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand and swallowing the lump in his throat, Genesis replied equally as soft. "I didn't mean to wake you,"

"I can't sleep." The boy said simply, stepping barefoot into the room, a regular pitter-patter until he met with a plush, mahogany rug. He stopped at Genesis' feet, looking up from waist height, eyes tired and wide. "You should be in bed." He said bluntly.

"As should you, little man." The hand that was on his stomach transferred to shaggy silver hair, playing with it absentmindedly for a moment or two.

Instead of nodding silently and leaving, Kadaj grabbed the hand on his head and led Genesis back to the bed, leaving the rest to his mother whilst he clambered over to Sephiroth's side and settled down comfortably. "Here, a tactical solution: I'm in bed and you're not lonely," he smiled, instantly lighting up the dark room.

Genesis flopped back into his haphazardly arranged pillows, groaning at the release of pressure on his back… thank Minerva that ShinRa had a grade of mattress that far surpassed "cloud-like" in softness, all for him, nonetheless. A smile cracked onto his lips as his son's words registered. "You need to stop listening to your father,"

"You're a SOLDIER too,"

"Hmph," Genesis scoffed bitterly, though the most watered down version of his usual vindictiveness that he could manage – he didn't want to pass bad traits onto Kadaj. "I highly doubt that these days…"

"Nonsense," the silver haired boy snuggled up close to the warmth of his mother: curled up with one hand on his little sibling, the other cushioning his head. "I'm still proud of you,"

-

Sephiroth was ecstatic. He knew it. Angeal knew it. All the troops knew it, so much so that they were too afraid to go within a hundred yard radius of the General because of it.

General Ice Queen wasn't allowed to be happy. The concept itself was a dangerous paradox, so they made sure that they were a safe distance away when the silver haired man suddenly imploded.

That morning, he had received wording that his plea for an early release had been accepted and that in 3 day's time, he'd be sailing back to Midgar and days after that, walk into his apartment, take Genesis into his arms and probably squeeze the new life out of him from the force of his embrace.

Maybe he was smiling like a child faced with the biggest present of their life, but he didn't care. In a week tops, he'd be home.

…And then a young 3rd class quietly entered his tent, standing before the General's great desk and shaking.

Curiously, Sephiroth glanced up from his pleasant daydreams and inquired what was wrong.

"Concerning Commander Rhapsodos," the masked male said, immediately grasping Sephiroth's attention for all the wrong reasons. He then handed over a folded slip of white paper.

The General snapped up the paper, tearing it apart and scanning the small, black printed letters with eyes that were burning with worry. "What?!" He shouted, standing up from his chair, sending it flying into the thick green material behind it. Immediately, he was at his bag, flinging everything within range into it, completely disregarding the SOLDIER as he made a quick escape and the burly, onyx-clad form that was Angeal stumble in after hearing the commotion.

"What's wrong?" He asked, watching helplessly as Sephiroth worked up a whirlwind around him. "What's wrong, Seph?" The SOLDIER said again, more desperate this time, hands extended, going to grab the younger if he didn't reply in time.

Sephiroth didn't stop, flinging his over-stuffed bag over his shoulder. He didn't turn back as he made his way out of the large tent. "Genesis has gone into earlier labour,"

-

Now, with that knowledge Sephiroth was just infuriated, Genesis, however, was livid. More than that even. Never before had he felt so irate, not even the first time he was in this position, on his back, legs up and spread with the original brown haired nurse kneeling between them ushering him to push because "the baby was coming". Damn right it was coming. It was coming a week and a half too damn early. For all of Genesis' rage aimed at the world and the impatience of his second child, Zack was completely petrified. His violet eyes were wide with pain because Genesis was determined that his nails would break through every layer of his skin, as if just to share how much agony he was in.

It was working, if only just a small taste of the real thing.

"The little bastard is going to stay in there until I'm ready for him," the redhead spat. His mouth was completely ignoring the fact that Kadaj was at his side, lightly dabbing sweat away from his mother's brow with a cloth he had requested.

He flinched every time Genesis screamed because he didn't like how utterly useless he felt when seeing his mother in pain like this. It would've been better if his father were here, he was sure.

"Commander, please, co-operate," the Nurse cooed. Her cold, latex wrapped fingers probed Genesis in places no woman have ever touched him before and it wasn't a pleasant experience.

The Nurse was still trying to make mental sense of this, the second pregnancy, when she quite clearly remembered the acidic comments the redhead had spat the last time he was here, "_I'm never letting that man touch me with __that__ ever again_". Well, that was the nicer, cleaner version she preferred to remember, at least.

-

All was normal albeit a little too quiet, considering that there was a week-old baby in the apartment. Weren't small babies supposed to scream and scream and cry and… scream? Zack shrugged as he continued chopping up the vegetables he would be frying up as soon as they were finished.

Behind the Cadet, Kadaj was sitting on the sofa, glancing between Zack and the closed bedroom door when he wasn't staring intently at the TV screen and a study guide on his lap. The video the silver haired boy was currently watching was actually one that Zack had only seen himself the previous week in his tactics class. Although initially unsurprised that the two 1sts would be imparting their knowledge upon their son from an early age, Zack was surprised that they would be teaching him the same thing as the Cadets. Surely that was an insult to the boy's natural genius, not that he was really in any place to say.

Under Kadaj's quiet rants about the incorrect-by-Genesis'-standards teachings from the video and the constant hammering off the knife's blade against the hard wood of the chopping board, the sounds of key fiddling about in the door lock could be heard.

Then, just as Zack turned, the door swung open and Sephiroth staggered into the apartment, dropping his bags, looking more exasperated than tired, considering he just spent nearly eight months at war. Immediately, the study guide hit the floor and Kadaj was on his feet one second and four feet in the air in his father's arms the next.

The General smiled, cradling the boy close to his bare chest, muttering a few sweet comments, earning happy, adoring comments and a slender-fingered hand pointing in the direction of the master bedroom. Sephiroth kissed Kadaj on the forehead before letting him back down to the ground.

Zack merited a quick nod of the head, for now. He hoped at least. He has survived this evil test of faith, sanity and his will to live, and was eager to receive his well-deserved promotion to 3rd Class, although now was not the moment to bring that up, Zack knew. Right now, Sephiroth was a man on a mission: to see his lover and meet his new progeny.

Goddess, was he in for a surprise, the black haired teen smirked.

He knocked quietly on the door first, not wanting to intrude or scare the redhead (if possible) with his sudden arrival, but when he received no reply, he pushed the door open.

Genesis was in bed, well on it, in his favourite pyjamas, but his feet were buried under the pillows and he was teetering very close to the end of the bed, chin supported by two palms. It looked as if he's spent the last few minutes before he fell asleep glaring at what was in the cot below him, judging from the way his lips were twisted and cinnamon-shaded brows furrowed, though slightly smoothed over due to his slumber.

Grinning, Sephiroth already suspected a reason for this. But he wouldn't check just yet: he wanted Genesis to be awake to introduce the newcomer to him.

Positioning himself somewhat awkwardly on the side of the bed, after ridding himself of his jacket and boots, with his long, leather-clad legs tipping over the edge like a waterfall, Sephiroth leaned over until his lips were only a breath away from Genesis' ear.

Tousled auburn hair tickled at his nose as he hesitated but the General managed to hold back a sneeze, deciding that that would most certainly kill the mood before one had even been born.

"Good morning, Kitten," he whispered in the same tone he used every other morning since they first decided to become an unofficial item.

Exactly as he expected and desired, Genesis' sleepy instincts played along, rolling onto his back in the direction of the sound; expression now a dazed smile and he made soft, quiet noises, like content hums, without opening his mouth.

Smiling, Sephiroth shuffled, standing on his knees as he straddled the elder's thighs, bending at the waist again to gently kiss along the wicked curve of that jaw, the pale expanse of that neck before he met with onyx silk. Whilst executing these ministrations, his hands had pushed the material up his body and left the collected folds at the base of his torso. His green eyed gaze trailed down to meet with the exposed ashen skin, semi-surprised to find that the redhead was already halfway back to his normal, slender self. As soon as his cool lips pressed on this flesh, Genesis stirred, just like he had ever other morning of the pregnancy; delicate hands rising to tie into silver hair.

"Moonbeam," came a murmured sound, a smile echoed within.

Sephiroth's eyes flicked up to catch with two narrow crescents that concealed the brightest blues he could ever dream to see. "You're home,"

"I'm home," Sephiroth gave affirmation that wasn't needed, and he didn't protest when Genesis dragged him back up to eyelevel only to roll the two over them over, swapping positions, and commence molesting every available inch of bare skin of his lover with his lips, with the hunger of nine, sex-starved months. The General guessed he still had hormones to work off… but that could wait until later. "Aren't you going to introduce me to the little one?" He asked.

Genesis' head snapped up, moist lips twisted into a similar way to how they had been when Sephiroth first entered. "Oh, you are just going to love this," he clambered up over his lover, and then rolled to the side, onto his stomach, over looking the cot once more. Sephiroth adopted a similar pose.

A smile cracked across pale lips: his original suspicion had been correct. "Is that another 2000gil you and Angeal owe me?" He asked, his voice was laced with mockery.

Genesis just grunted, it was another undeniable victory for Sephiroth's genes.

"It's not fair. Can't I have one son that looks even remotely like me?"

"It's a boy?"

"Yes," Genesis replied, staring down at the child who stared back up at him with two green, feline eyes. Then his tone changed. "I was a bit concerned at start, since he hardly – if ever – makes a sound… even when hungry, so I took him to see Hollander-" he held a finger to Sephiroth's lips to silence any protests that he sensed coming "And on a whim he measured the amount of mako in the child's blood-"

"-And the increased injections you were receiving before knowing you were pregnant affected the child,"

Genesis nodded. "It hasn't physically harmed him or anything… he's just…looks really…"

"Dreamy," Sephiroth thought aloud, freeing his right arm from under his chest to touch his new son for the first time. It was just a small, fatherly gesture of endearment, gently tickling the child's abdomen with his gloved index finger, trying to draw out a positive response. There came no such result.

"I was thinking more stoned… like I was when I filled in the birth certificate," Genesis muttered, turning onto his back again and sighing.

Sephiroth stiffened, sitting up, knowing – just knowing – what was coming next. The sense in the foreboding air was just too strong for him not to. He rolled his eyes and ran his hand down his face. "What did you name him?"

"Well… I was completely and utterly drugged up on everything the Medical Core could possibly give me at the time," he started, as if it would make a difference to the point he was aiming for. "…So I couldn't think straight and Zack was holding it and the name just flowed through my eyes and onto the paper…"

"Oh Goddess, you didn't call him LOVELESS?"

"No." Genesis snapped, almost as if Sephiroth was accusing him of being stupid. "He's called Yazoo."

"You named my son after a milkshake?!" Sephiroth cried. His hand was back up again, smacking his palm into face repetitively trying to wake from this wicked, wicked dream.

"Just be glad I didn't pick the branded bottle in Zack's left hand. Because that, my love, was lubricant."

* * *

And from this day forwards, Yazoo shall forever be known to me as Astroglide…


End file.
